Cloud's POV:

Leon was there his arms around me. His lips parted. I brushed my fingers across his jaw and I leaned in for a kiss. He pushed me to the ground and hissed with a dark red glare in his eyes. Leon's fangs grew and his face was twisted with anger with burning red eyes. He constricted my hand in his grasp…and bit my hand.

"Ahhh!" I screamed and my eyes opened. I was staring at the ceiling and I shifted in my bed. "Leon?!" I called out and I looked around the room. 'He isn't here….it was just a dream….how much of it was a dream?' I thought and I wiped my eyes.

There were tears in my eyes. I blinked a couple times and looked at the clock. 9:17 am. I closed my mouth and tasted something weird. Morning breath probably. I pushed the sheets off of me.

"Holy shit!" I exclaimed. There was blood…everywhere. I looked at my hand and it was the source of all the blood. I let out a sigh when I realized I bit myself. I shook the dizziness from my head and stumbled to the bathroom.

My head was swirling; I felt faint from the blood loss. I fiddled with the old brass doorknob and I felt like I was going to drop down on the floor. I rinsed my hand in the sink and stuck my mouth under the facet.

The water had a heavy metal taste and smelt like sulfur but I didn't care. Blood….so much….blood. I thought. I looked at myself in the mirror to try and focus on something else. 'I'm fine…it was just a dream…..but….is he real?' I thought.

I turned the squeaky knob and the water shut off. I avoided staring into the sink and grabbed a towel off the floor. My hands were shaking as I dried them and I stared at the bloody towel.

'Is he here? Could he have smelled the blood? I should get rid of this.' I thought and I dashed back to my bedroom. The wooden floor boards stung my bare feet with splinters.

I put on the nearest pair of jeans and a simple blue t-shirt. My body had a strange sensation like I was walking through spider webs. Like invisible strings that I could feel but not see. Like invisible words sticking to me and driving me insane as I tried to pick them off but the feeling stuck on me like glue. 'I have feelings for a vampire. . .a vampire who I do not know is real. . .Leon.' I thought to myself.

The bloody towel was full of dark red smears and the bite on my hand stung like hot needles piercing my skin. I yanked off my bloody bed sheets and folded them in a bundle. I rushed down the stairs with the cotton sheets in my arms.

I felt like a criminal but I don't know why. . .maybe because I was closing the front door and speeding to my bike with an unusual dance of running. I tossed the blood-stained sheets and towel in the front weaved basket of my bike and sped off down the dirt road.

My heart beat was pounding at a ridiculous velocity for no reason. I just felt like Leon was a fragment of my imagination. That I am crazy. That I'll never be in his arms and kissing his sweet pale lips. I thought so deeply that I didn't realize I was already pedaling through Dead Raven Path.

I skidded my bike to a stop and flung the sheets out into the hidden lake. I watched them sink and hoped that the horrid sight of blood will never haunt me again. I don't know how long I stood there but it felt like two seconds because I was already back home cuddling against my tattered navy blue velvet couch.

My legs hung over the edge and my face was buried in the dusty fabric of a matching pillow. 'I want Leon to be real. I don't want to be crazy. I want someone in my life. I want him. I need my dark angel. . .my protector.' I thought to myself and the thoughts just made me feel worse like a monster inside me eating away my hope.

The phone rang and my eyes fluttered open. I was still in the same position on the couch and the phone rang again. My thoughts were hazy as I woke back into consciousness. I stumbled to the phone and answered it.

"Hello?" I said. Who could be calling? I already didn't have a job and my life was going down the drain. "Hello this is Juliette Woodhaven calling from Winchester's Auto Shoppe. Is Cloud available?" A secretary woman about my age sang to me with a unique whimsical voice like wind chimes.

"This is him." I said to her with a bewildered tone. She sighed and typed something in the background. Her honey-like voice returned to me. "I heard you are interested in a job and there is help wanted here. Would you like to fill the job?" She asked lightly.

"Sure…" I said; hoping it wasn't fixing cars but that was highly likely. "Great! Please come at 2pm for your interview, Cloud! See you then!" Juliette sang then the dial tone rang in my ear after she hung up. 'And….Reno works there…how….lovely….' I thought to myself.

I checked the clock and it was one o'clock. I shrugged and went outside to my bike. 'I guess if Reno doesn't hate me that I could…be with him instead of…Leon.' I thought and it stung my mind to think that Leon might not exist. I rode my bike toward town at a slow speed. Ravens stared flying above me with shrieking caws like they were warning me.

'Isn't it embarrassing that I'm squeamish and will faint at the sight of blood yet I like a vampire? I'm truly pathetic…' I thought to myself. It took me a couple times to blink and collect myself. I was in town.

The wind was wiping at my face like thick sheets of ice water. I felt numb, like I didn't belong, like I was invisible. 'He needs to be real…He needs to be…I need my protector…my dark angel…' I thought and I rested my bike softly against a wooden barrel of dark violette irises.

I opened the door and the bell jingled above me. A person at the desk behind the counter looked up. It reminded me of a hospital with the large counter and you could only she the person's forehead and eyes. I studied the beauty.

She had fragile paper white skin and deep gray cat eyes. Her gingery coloured lips were fixed in a small smile like…she belongs. "Juliette?" I asked and I felt like I was on a blind date. Her eyes flickered up at me like a blast of fireworks.

"Cloud?" She asked in her voice she used over the phone. I smiled and she typed in something briskly in her computer like clock work. Her fingers sailed over the keys in strange number combinations and her eyes moved as she typed the string of characters.

"One moment please." She says and she properly stood up. Juliette walked out and passed in front of me. Her model like hair reminded me of those Tim Burton movies. She dark and messy but it was perfect in everyway. I found myself gazing over her and I blushed. My focus turned away as she went up the stairs to a loft like room.

There I stood in utter awkwardness. My fingers brushed the candy in the little dish that looked like some knick-knack junk thing that someone either got for a Christmas present 10 years ago or a bargain at a thrift store. I hesitated and didn't take any of the noisy cellophane wrapped candy.

After awhile of standing with my hands in my pockets, I heard muted clunks coming down the carpeted stairs. Juliette's kind smile emerged as she saw me. "Just fill out this form." She said and suddenly my hands held a pink form. I put it on the counter and clicked their custom pen. It was attached to the counter by a metal beaded string.

The troublesome string scratched and curled on the counter as I wrote in the information. Juliette's eyebrows narrowed together and she typed something with furious speed. I wanted to ask her what she was doing but I didn't want to seem nosey…especially when it's my first day at work. I handed her the form and her face transformed to a delighted, mellow expression.

Juliette inserted the paper in her organized filing cabinet and slide the door shut. Another pair of footsteps came down the stairs. "Jewels!" A familiar voice called out. Axel came down the stairs with a water bottle in his hand. "Axel. You are off of break." She said with a new stern voice. Maybe I should become accostumed to it while Axel was here. Oh the days of high school with that man whore…

"Aw c'mon baby. Can't we just fool around for a little bit while Reno is busy working." Axel cooed and he nuzzled his lips to her cheek. Juliette shrugged him away but the tiger couldn't resist planting a sweet peck on her white cheek. I stood there in silence and I felt invisible again.

Axel's eyes zapped and locked on my face. "Who's the pansy?" Axel asked and my face flustered with anger. Juliette caught my burning rage and she said, "Axel. We'll talk later." "You better not be cheating on me." Axel said and it looked like he was going to call her a 'hooker' but he didn't. Juliette's eyes seemed glassy with tears as Axel slammed the door into the next room.

The room seemed to shake with emotion. Juliette put her head down for a few moments and my urge to comfort her was irresistible. I held my stance. She looked up and her face was back to normal. "I'm glad you decided to join, Cloud. You will be a great addition here." She said like she rehearsed the lines over and over again.

"So…I must say I'm…Well I have no experience with working with cars." I confessed. Juliette smiled like she was laughing to herself. The paintings of faded water coloured cats were staring at me. This room felt so misplaced compared to the garage in the next room. "You will be taking my job. I'm leaving this job soon." Juliette sang in her honey sweet accent.

"Where are you going to?" I asked and after I felt a little rude for asking such a question. Her eyes changed to fierce anger. "That is my own personal life, Mr. Strife. And it is my choice to share it with you and I do not feel obligated to tell you anything." She shot at me like a team of target practicing army men.

It fell quiet again as she stomped upstairs. "Please read the guidelines." She murmured with bitter whips in her voice. I was alone in the room. My feet strolled over to behind the counter. I was suddenly freezing. I must have been too full of adrenaline to notice before.

Time flew as I followed the guidelines and worked out the special codes for stocking and ordering products. I answered phone calls from people and made phone calls with the recited lines of: "Hello this is Winchester's Auto Shop! I'm calling to notify you that your car is ready to be picked up!"

The door swished open and Reno walked through. I felt ridiculous trying to act invisible. "Cloud." He said and I looked up then put my 'oh-I-didn't-notice-you' expression on my face. The red head looked odd like he was tired yet alert. He looked sleepless. Juliette rushed down the stairs in her black dress and said, "Thank you Cloud. You can come back to work tomorrow at 9am. You are done here for today." She practically danced out of the door as she had papers and large packing envelopes in her hands.

I took this as a good chance to escape from Reno. He probably hates me now…ever since we…well… Reno eyed me sharply as I piled the papers up into compartments. "Sorry I should get home now. See ya Reno." I said as casually as possibly. He was dead silent and I zoomed out of the freezing cold room.

My mind raced with thoughts as I rode my bike home. It was nightfall as the sunset turned from fiery raspberry to mysterious violette. The porch creaked and moaned as I stepped on it. My body was shaking cold. I was up the stairs in a haze and then I was lying in my bed facing the ceiling in a quick amount of time.

Suddenly I felt very warm in my bed like it was never cold. I stripped down to my boxers and snuggled in my bed. I felt anxious but soon I drifted off into another beautiful nightmare.

The brunette was next to me in a fancy courtyard with his profile facing me. His eyes fixed at the edge of the yard. 'It's dangerous. I know they are after you.' He said and then he hugged me tightly. 'Cloud…I can't let this happen.' He spoke to me. The world started spinning around me like a crazy carousel. He leapt onto someone and ripped their throat. I felt a pair of hands around my neck and I was choking…choking…

I woke up with tears in my eyes and I felt a scream was about to build in my throat. It was a little past midnight and the sheer, flowing curtains where breathing in the smell of old oak and dampened leaves in my room. It must have been raining because the window seal clicked with raindrops every now and then.

The feeling of being alone came to me again. 'I'm crazy…' I thought to myself and tears fell from my eyes. I got up and slipped. The previous rain must have blew through the open window. My head was thumping with pain as I struggled to stand up again. I balanced myself like I was on thin ice.

I managed to get to the window without breaking any bones. The leaves rustled in the tree like a ghostly lullaby and a distance owl cooed from miles away. I stuck my head out the window and saw it was just drizzling a little now. I closed the window and came back to my bed. I checked and I wasn't bleeding and no vital organs were falling out. It was the absolute, strange, random luck of being an accident magnet.

I sat on the edge of my bed and listened to the night. My eyes fell shut and I remembered being awoke by a thunk a few minutes later. I sprang to my feet and grabbed my baseball bat. "Show yourself!!!" I screamed in anger to scare away the intruder. My mouth gapped open. In the moonlight that seeped through the open window was a creature. A dark angel. Leon.

He was staring at me with a thankful expression. "Cloud. I'm so glad you are not hurt." He said with relief. I dropped my baseball bat and ran into his arms. It was embarrassing but I cried in his arms anyway. I'm not crazy…I have an angel…

"Cloud I have to get you get you somewhere safe." He said and his eyes stared out the window. It was silent for a moment. "They are heading north." He said and he turned back to me. "Cloud…something is wrong…I…I can't hear you anymore…" Leon said.

Leon walked away from me and sat like a prince in my old cream coloured chair. "I can't feel you emotions or see your dreams…I've…failed you…Once a vam…once a protector fails to protect their person from nightmares then they lose their powers…Now I can't read anything about you…and I'm worried…You're in great danger, Cloud Strife." He said and I was a little shocked he knew my last name…but then again…he is a vampire.

The beautiful demon stood up and looked out the window. "You'll be safe here tonight…They are going on a different path…my plan worked…" He said and he looked back at me. "Leon…" I could only say his elegant name. My heart lifted when fret disappeared from his face and he smiled at me.

I hugged him tightly and he stiffened. "Cloud…please…I…am…weak…" He said and his teeth were clenched. I smiled with a mini blush. Hugging a blood lusting vampire is not quite smart. He led me to my bed and I got in it. "Please sleep…I'll stay." Leon spoke and I watched him above me. He sat on the bed and his face looked down at me.

His face lit up with an eerie glow from the moonlight. His ice skin from his hand touched my hair. "Please…stay…" I said and my eyes lost the battle of fighting away sleep. "I will…" He whispered serenely. My protector was back but my nightmares returned.